NEWSWEEK CHAMPIONS CUP

March 10, 1995

Magnus Larsson

MAGNUS LARSSON: I don't know, but we played, I think eight times before and he won all indoor matches and I won all the outdoor matches before this match. I thought I had a good chance, just hang in the match and just try to break him and actually, when I broke him in the second set I had thought I might have a good chance to win.

Q. Do you have any game plans for Becker tomorrow or strategies?

MAGNUS LARSSON: I didn't actually know I play Becker. I thought I should play Ferreira.

JOE LYNCH: It is Becker.

MAGNUS LARSSON: No, I beat Becker a couple of times before as well, so I think I have a good chance to win if I play like I did today. I was hitting the ball pretty well. If he serves well it is hard to beat him, but I think I have a chance.

Q. That third set tiebreaker that could have gone either way tonight. What made the difference for you?

MAGNUS LARSSON: He made a doublefault 3-All, 4-All -- 3-All in the tiebreaker and it is so important to get a mini break, to break first in the tiebreaker. I was lucky he had a ball in the net. It bounced back on his side. I guess I was lucky in the tiebreaker. On the other side, I think he was lucky few times in the first set. So I think it was quite even, the luck part.

Q. You seemed to have a lot of opportunities, breakpoint opportunities in the breaks as he did. You seemed to convert more. How is it that you were able to do that throughout the match?

MAGNUS LARSSON: Good question. I guess I have got a lot of confidence playing important points, and more time you win important points, the better the confidence gets. It really doesn't bother me to serve when I am like that.

Q. It was really fun to watch it because you were both complimenting each other on good points and big shots?

MAGNUS LARSSON: Not too many times.

Q. More than normal, it seemed to me. Is that something more often happen being the European players or do you find that with all players?

MAGNUS LARSSON: I don't find it too often, though, I know Michael pretty well. We played a lot of times together and we used to have pretty good matches, so I don't know, if he is playing well shot, I can't do anything about it, it is too good.

Q. Your whole team was watching and applauding; did you see that?

MAGNUS LARSSON: No. I was looking around, but I couldn't find them.

Q. Even Stefan Edberg came in just to watch it. I just wanted to ask you if that gave you confidence, but you didn't see it.

MAGNUS LARSSON: I didn't see it. Sweden is such a small country and all the players try to support each other and I think that is important. We have a lot -- it is a small country and the USA there are so many good players playing all over, I don't think you have the same team feeling as we have, so it is always good to have Swedish support.

Q. A lot of press going on about Davis Cup. Is that the same in Sweden?

MAGNUS LARSSON: Yeah, but we have no problems getting players, but I think everybody in Sweden wants to play, so Sweden, it's an honor to play. As I told you, Stefan always want to play Davis Cup. He has been playing like so long time and always wants to play and I think that is good for the team spirit.

Q. You got all the same contracts?

MAGNUS LARSSON: Yeah, we get the same. It is bad, but it is fair.

Q. Why is it bad?

MAGNUS LARSSON: Actually we don't play Davis Cup for money. We play for its honor, and we basically get nothing paid, but we have so -- I think to have the same contract it is good for the team spirit as well. No one -- every match you win is -- if Stefan wins, it is one point and if we win doubles, it is also one point if I win, so everybody is the same.

End of FastScripts...